Secondary metabolites and synthetic iminosugars that structurally resemble monosaccharides are potent inhibitors of a-glucosidase activity. The enzyme is core in cleaving sucrose in phloem feeding insects and it also ...Secondary metabolites and synthetic iminosugars that structurally resemble monosaccharides are potent inhibitors of a-glucosidase activity. The enzyme is core in cleaving sucrose in phloem feeding insects and it also plays a crucial role of reducing osmotic stress via the formation of oligosaccharides. Inhibition of hydrolysis by iminosug- ars should result in nutritional deficiencies and/or disruption of normal osmoregulation. Deoxynojirimycin （DNJ） and 2 N-alkylated analogs [N-butyl DNJ （NB-DNJ） and N-nonyl DNJ （NN-DNJ）] were the major iminosugars used throughout the study. The extensive experiments conducted with a-glucosidase of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci indicated the competitive nature of inhibition and that the hydrophilic DNJ is a potent inhibitor in com- parison to the more hydrophobic NB-DNJ and NN-DNJ compounds. The same inhibitory pattern was observed with the psyllid Cacopsylla bidens a-glucosidase. In contrast to the above pattern, enzymes of the aphids, Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii were more sen- sitive to the hydrophobic iminosugars as compared to DNJ. In vivo experiments in which adult B. tabaci were fed dietary iminosugars, show that the hydrophilic DNJ was far less toxic than the lipophilic NB-DNJ and NN-DNJ. It is proposed that this pattern is attributed to the better accessibility of the hydrophobic NN-DNJ to the a-glucosidase membrane- bound compartment in the midgut. Based on the inhibitory effects of certain polyhydroxy N-alkylated iminosugars, a-glucosidase of phloem feeding hemipterans could serve as an attractive target site for developing novel pest control agents.展开更多
RNA interference （RNAi） of vital insect genes is a potential tool for targeted pest control. However, selection of the right target genes is a challenge because the RNAi efficacy is known to vary among insect specie...RNA interference （RNAi） of vital insect genes is a potential tool for targeted pest control. However, selection of the right target genes is a challenge because the RNAi efficacy is known to vary among insect species. Cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis, is a phloem-feeding economically important crop pest. We evaluated the RNAi of 2 vital genes, Bursicon （PsBur） and V-ATPase （Ps V-ATPase） as potential targets in P. solenopsis for its control. PCR fragments of PsBur and PsV-ATPase were amplified using cDNA synthesized from the total RNA. The PCR amplicons were cloned into Potato virus X （PVX） to develop recombinant PVX for the inoculation ofNicotiana tabacum plants for bioassays with healthy P. solenopsis. Reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT- PCR） was used to validate the expression oftransgenes in the recombinant-PVX-inoculated plants （treated）, and suppression of the target genes in the mealybugs exposed to them. The RT-PCR confirmed the expression of transgenes in the treated plants. Mealybug individuals on treated plants either died or showed physical deformities. Further, the population of mealybug was significantly reduced by feeding on N. tabacum expressing RNAi triggers against PsBur and Ps V-A TPase. The results conclude that RNAi is activated in P. solenopsis by feeding on N. tabacum expressing RNAi triggering elements of PsBur and Ps V-ATPase genes through recombinant PVX vector. Further, V-ATPase and Bursicon genes are potential targets for RNAi-mediated control ofP. solenopsis.展开更多
文摘Secondary metabolites and synthetic iminosugars that structurally resemble monosaccharides are potent inhibitors of a-glucosidase activity. The enzyme is core in cleaving sucrose in phloem feeding insects and it also plays a crucial role of reducing osmotic stress via the formation of oligosaccharides. Inhibition of hydrolysis by iminosug- ars should result in nutritional deficiencies and/or disruption of normal osmoregulation. Deoxynojirimycin （DNJ） and 2 N-alkylated analogs [N-butyl DNJ （NB-DNJ） and N-nonyl DNJ （NN-DNJ）] were the major iminosugars used throughout the study. The extensive experiments conducted with a-glucosidase of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci indicated the competitive nature of inhibition and that the hydrophilic DNJ is a potent inhibitor in com- parison to the more hydrophobic NB-DNJ and NN-DNJ compounds. The same inhibitory pattern was observed with the psyllid Cacopsylla bidens a-glucosidase. In contrast to the above pattern, enzymes of the aphids, Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii were more sen- sitive to the hydrophobic iminosugars as compared to DNJ. In vivo experiments in which adult B. tabaci were fed dietary iminosugars, show that the hydrophilic DNJ was far less toxic than the lipophilic NB-DNJ and NN-DNJ. It is proposed that this pattern is attributed to the better accessibility of the hydrophobic NN-DNJ to the a-glucosidase membrane- bound compartment in the midgut. Based on the inhibitory effects of certain polyhydroxy N-alkylated iminosugars, a-glucosidase of phloem feeding hemipterans could serve as an attractive target site for developing novel pest control agents.
文摘RNA interference （RNAi） of vital insect genes is a potential tool for targeted pest control. However, selection of the right target genes is a challenge because the RNAi efficacy is known to vary among insect species. Cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis, is a phloem-feeding economically important crop pest. We evaluated the RNAi of 2 vital genes, Bursicon （PsBur） and V-ATPase （Ps V-ATPase） as potential targets in P. solenopsis for its control. PCR fragments of PsBur and PsV-ATPase were amplified using cDNA synthesized from the total RNA. The PCR amplicons were cloned into Potato virus X （PVX） to develop recombinant PVX for the inoculation ofNicotiana tabacum plants for bioassays with healthy P. solenopsis. Reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT- PCR） was used to validate the expression oftransgenes in the recombinant-PVX-inoculated plants （treated）, and suppression of the target genes in the mealybugs exposed to them. The RT-PCR confirmed the expression of transgenes in the treated plants. Mealybug individuals on treated plants either died or showed physical deformities. Further, the population of mealybug was significantly reduced by feeding on N. tabacum expressing RNAi triggers against PsBur and Ps V-A TPase. The results conclude that RNAi is activated in P. solenopsis by feeding on N. tabacum expressing RNAi triggering elements of PsBur and Ps V-ATPase genes through recombinant PVX vector. Further, V-ATPase and Bursicon genes are potential targets for RNAi-mediated control ofP. solenopsis.
